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Spring Bakers Market showcases global flavors on April 10

Are you hungry? Come have a taste of the Spring Baker’s Market.  GRCC Retail Baking students have spent the semester researching and perfecting recipes to share with you. Unique flavors from across the world at five dollars a piece. Fill a bag with tarts, cakes, croissants, pastries, and more!  It all happens Thursday, April 10 in the Secchia Piazza. Doors open at 9 a.m., come early as items will sell out!  NOTE: All sales are Card Only.

Reaping the rewards of a growth mindset in the occupational therapy assistant program

March 28, 2025 Occupational therapists need tangible knowledge in order to do their work. But the best ones also possess the intangible quality of empathy. September Foisy has this in spades. “September is graduating from the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program with significant skills that will help her be successful,” said Robin Pegg, Assistant Professor/Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the program. “September has a seemingly endless ability to feel with or for people. She has an inherent vein of kindness.” That degree of empathy is hard to teach. However, the second significant skill that will contribute to September’s success is her growth mindset. That is something both she and her professors agree she has developed during her time at GRCC. “When September first started our program, she was very focused on getting all the points on each assignment,” Pegg said. “I told her that if she focused on the learning, the points would take care of themselves. Of her own volition, September read “ Mindset: The New Psychology of Success ” by Carol Dweck. She sent us faculty members an email afterwards, sharing her self-reflection and saying it transformed her life. My heart exploded with pride as I watched this young lady embrace her potential.” September is quick to credit her professors for helping her acquire this skill. “Obviously, I learned a lot about occupational therapy,” Foisy said. “But probably the most important thing I am walking away with is a growth mindset. My professors kept reminding me that I was learning, and that it was okay to make mistakes. That’s important in all of life, but especially in a complex career like occupational therapy.” Many people in the occupational therapy profession want to work with kids. September brings a different perspective to her work. “I want to work with people of all ages who have development disabilities,” Foisy said. “My cousin has Down Syndrome. My youngest sister has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. They have both benefited so much from therapy. I want to give back so that other people receive the way they did. I want all people to know that they matter.” September pursued learning with vigor but she also made time to give back to her community through the Student Occupational Therapy Association at GRCC. Accredited OTA colleges are required to have a chapter of this association, which is organized under the umbrella of the American Occupational Therapy Association . However, Robin is quick to point out that the GRCC chapter is much more than a rubber stamp presence. “This is an active group,” Pegg said. “They do at least one community service project every semester. They’ve done sock drives, Alzheimer’s Walks, an intensive feeding clinic with Mary Free Bed and many other projects. September served as secretary and participated in so many of these events. She embodies the spirit of responsibility to the profession.” Her innate qualities, her learned skills and her commitment to the community earned September the 2025 OTA Student Scholarship Award from the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association . She is the most recent in a line of amazing GRCC students who have won the award every year since its inception in 2022. “Applicants for this scholarship are screened by a committee,” Pegg said. “They are looking for well-rounded students who have high academic standards but also a community focus. They want to reward people who demonstrate personal altruism. I am not at all surprised that September won this award. She embodies all of those characteristics.” So what is next for September? She is graduating as an OTA, which means that she will work directly with patients under the supervision of an occupational therapist. (Learn more about the work of an OTA in this December 2, 2024 article .) “I’m going to work as an assistant for a year or two, and then decide if I want to continue with my schooling,” Foisy said. “It’s fun to do field work and I want some hands-on experience.” Learn more about the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at GRCC . Article reported by Julie Hordyke.

Retirement celebration for Kevin Dobreff April 25

Please join us as we celebrate Kevin Dobreff's 34 years of service to GRCC's Music Department with our alumni, students, colleagues and community! Date:  Friday, April 25, 2025 When:  4-6 p.m., a short program will start at 5:30 p.m., RSVP by April 14 Location:  GRCC Secchia Piazza Address:  Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center (ATC), 151 Fountain St. NE    Yes! I’ll be there: RSVP for Kevin's Retirement Open House Can’t come? Write a note to Kevin for his retirement! Donate to GRCC Music in Kevin's honor!

Retirement celebration for Colleen Copus April 16

Please join us to celebrate! Wednesday, April 16 11:30 AM-1:30 PM RJFH 108/109  Hosted by Academic Support & Tutoring Services Colleen Copus will be retiring from GRCC in late May and we’re so thankful for her dedicated service!  She has dedicated nearly 27 years to the college, serving in various roles where teaching has been at the forefront. In August 1998, she began her GRCC career working as a part-time professional tutor in the Mathematics Tutorial Lab. In 2003, she became the lead tutor for the Small Group Math Tutoring Program. In 2011, she accepted a full-time role as the tutorial coordinator for the Mathematics Lab. During her time here, she has also worked as an adjunct instructor for the Mathematics Department.  No matter the role, Copus has felt a deep sense of belonging at GRCC. She has cultivated fond memories with colleagues and students. She shared, “I have been immensely blessed during my time here at GRCC. The people and the relationships that I have built will be what I remember most. The students and people that I have worked with have truly touched my heart. The friends that I have made will be with me for life.” As Copus enters retirement, she looks forward to enjoying life, traveling and spending quality time with family and friends. Her contributions to GRCC will be felt long after her retirement!  Congratulations on your retirement, and thanks for all that you’ve done for the college! 

GRCC Players: "John Proctor is the Villain" April 3, 4 and 5

GRCC Players’ Winter 2025 Main Stage Production Join us for "John Proctor is the Villain" by Kimberly Belflower. This bold, funny and thought-provoking play is heading to Broadway soon, but you can see it right here at Spectrum Theater, with better seats, lower prices and zero airfare. Plus, your ticket supports the talented students in Grand Rapids Community College’s Theater program. April 3, 4 and 5 at 7:30 PM Spectrum Theater (160 Fountain St NE Grand Rapids, MI 49505) Please note: The intersection of Division and Fountain is currently closed due to construction. Plan your route accordingly. Join us for a post-show Opening Night Reception in the Spectrum Theater Lobby on Thursday, April 3! Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for GRCC faculty and staff, $5 for GRCC students, and can be purchased by going online via Ludus or calling the Spectrum Theater Box Office at (616) 234-3946. Stay connected with Spectrum Theater (@SpectrumTheater) on Instagram! The story At a rural high school in Georgia, a group of lively teens are studying "The Crucible" while navigating young love, sex ed, and a few school scandals. Holding a contemporary lens to the American classic, they begin to question who is really the hero and what is the truth, discovering their own power in the process. Alternately touching and bitingly funny, this new comedy captures a generation in mid-transformation, running on pop music, optimism, and fury, writing their own coming of age story. NOTE: This performance contains strong language and adult themes. The crew Director: Emily Diener Stage Manager: Isazic Ortiz  Cast: Mr. Carter Smith - Ian Santoyo Beth Powell - Eliana Hilliker Shelby Holcomb - Jenna Milosh Nell Shaw - Ailani Mata Ivy Watkins - Karalynn Davis Raelynn Nix - Sevi Cullum Mason Adams - Jason Perez Lee Turner - Kayden Bravata Miss Bailey Gallagher - Lillian Youngquist

Melissa Ware

(She/Her)  Licensed Master Social Worker  Education : Grand Valley State University (Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies); Grand Valley State University (Master of Social Work) Professional Interests : self-compassion; anxiety, depression, trauma, life stage development, relationships, conflict & communication, family systems, parenting, racism, generational trauma, community involvement, social justice, nervous system regulation, EMDR, identity and self-discovery  Therapeutic Approach : I have the privilege to meet students at a very important part of their life journey. At my core, I value connecting with student-clients in their “process of becoming” as they seek to “be that self which one truly is.” My approach to work with students may best be understood as an integrative approach drawing from humanistic, holistic, cognitive-behavioral, existential, multicultural and systemic orientations. At the heart of my work, I subscribe to the person-centered, humanistic view that not only do people have the intrinsic capacity and self-determination to achieve whatever it is they desire, but that they are the “experts in their own life” as they explore. My goal is to have people enter into a warm, inviting space where they can see visual cues (flags, pictures, statements, etc.) indicating it is a space where they can be their authentic selves and express the fullness of their identities. Relationship building with student-clients is one of my favorite aspects of counseling! I enjoy getting to know a student’s history and current concerns, as well as other dimensions of their wellbeing. I aim to demonstrate curiosity and interest in your life, and join with you through a range of emotions, build rapport thoughtfully and sometimes with humor or cultural references, and reflect humanness in your experiences. Personal Interests : reading, hiking, being outdoors, spending time with friends and family, watching sports, sewing, traveling and learning more about the world & the people in it.
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